The aims of most managers as they approach the start of a new season must be to have assembled the squad of players necessary to compete in that season's toughest fixtures. To hold on to the nucleus of the previous year's side and add to it by bringing in quality tried and tested performers or the latest up and coming talent would be on the agenda of every one of the country's top bosses.

Few football clubs however would give much thought to the prospect that, rather than having one last player to track down, the feelers would now be out for a new manager.

Andy McDonald Picture: Andrew McCullough

The usual summer merry-go-round continued as normal during the close season with Ards bringing in some eight new faces prior to the start of friendly action and opting to have a look at several more. A nucleus of the squad did remain, however those that departed seemed to leave the biggest of holes in a side built on passion and flair. Player-maker Craig McMillen departed in May, eventually for newly-promoted HW Welders, while first choice goalkeeper Andy McDonald reluctantly bowed out, forced to seek work outside of the province, which understandably would be at odds with his Ards career. A further blow was felt when striker Darren Armour announced a surprise emigration, while interest also ended suddenly in former Linfield midfielder Mark Dickson, who opted for Donegal Celtic.

Coming through the door was a range of Amateur League and reserve team performers, some seasoned, some not and most with fairly big shoes to fill. Abbey Villa keeper Jon Munn came highly recommended, while Crusaders duo Scott Collins and Ethan Boylan had both netted goals against Ards the previous year. Back too, for a third spell was striker Chris Towell, while hopes were raised with the late summer capture of Darren Lockhart from Ballymena United. A successful enough pre-season programme saw Ards win five out of their seven fixtures and draw a couple more. The quality of the opposition might sometimes have been questionable, with two five-nil wins and 7-1 drubbing of local amateurs Donaghadee. The result that stood out against the others through was the 6-1 thumping away to Coleraine on the Saturday before the competitive action began. Little doubt that there is much to choose between the Premiership and Championship, and Coleraine would likely prove to be far from the best that the higher division would have to offer.

That team photo Picture: Gareth McCluskey

Then, days before the league campaign would get underway, came the first cracks in what would end the time of Tommy Kincaid at Ards FC. Much has been spoken and unspoken about the days that preceded Kincaid's farewell, with the usual mix of fact and fiction peppered through the various accounts. Kincaid's first offer of resignation came on 5th August, following the capture of the official team photograph. Both sides sensibly gave the situation breathing space but when the manager re-iterated his intention to go on the morning of the first match at home to Ballymoney, it seemed clear that the story had further to run. So Ards lined up for their first game of the season, minus a manager who was co-incidentally suspended in any case and under the new captaincy of Darren Nixon. The game turned out terribly for Ards as they surrendered a three goal half-time lead to barely cling on for an opening day point. Attention turned quickly to the over-shadowing manager situation and when days passed with no contact able to be made with Kincaid, the clubs directors sat down with a offer of resignation still live on the table. Kincaid's departure was never likely to be a dull one but with his resignation accepted, few dwelled for long on the fall of the club's longest serving manager in recent years.

Suggestions from the chairman that Kincaid had been unhappy with various aspects of pre-season preparation did have a ring of truth to them as Ards began the season with perhaps not the squad Kincaid had envisaged. The depths of the transfer failings would eventually be evident to all, as the side struggled for form.

McBride and Kincaid Picture: Gareth McCluskey

On the field, the action resumed as Ards lost their second game away to Limavady United. Despite that, the Ards board saw faith in Kincaid's number two, Justin McBride, and he acceded to the manager's job a week after his boss' departure. McBride quickly appointed his own assistant, ex-Ards striker Paul McKnight and soon called on Darren Lockhart to assist with coaching and match planning too. Despite that the poor performances continued. A dreadful display away to Lurgan Celtic in the Co-Operative Insurance Cup saw the game slip scoreless into extra-time. By hook and crook Ards managed two goals and a place in the next round, but few will forget the inadequacy of the performance for a long time to come. Worse followed a week later as a strong Ards team gave away a lead to Glentoran Seconds before losing in extra-time to exit the Steel & Sons Cup.

That game proved to be the last for goalkeeper Jon Munn and third-time unlucky Towell. The arrival of ex-Crusaders keeper Aaron Kerr gave Munn the nod that his days were numbered and he quickly returned to his previous club. The mood was lifted quickly though with an unexpected win over high-spending HW Welders. Further victories followed, against Moyola in the League Cup and Banbridge in the league, with Stephen Doyle scoring the bulk of the goals in the absence of injured striker Darren Fitzgerald. The side's longest server Kris Pike was absent too as he went for a knee operation and David Cully continued to make slow progress following his own operation several months before. Ards next faced early pace-setters Loughgall and were seen to be second or third best as the Villagers romped home 5-1.

Mid-October saw perhaps the best boost the club could have received with the news that planning permission had finally been given for the re-development of Londonderry Park. With initial works already underway, the countdown had finally begun on Ards' long and weary return home. On field, Ards scored a victory over Larne but then lost 3-1 away to Ballinamallard on a day when keeper Kerr pulled off a string of top saves to ensure their wasn't a rout. Cup action came calling again for the club with an away draw to Ballymena United in the league cup. The impressive performance of last season's Irish Cup meeting with United wasn't repeated but Ards put in a strong performance before finally going down 3-1.

The star of that match was undoubtedly new defender Darren Devine, who performed admirably against much senior opposition and helped fill a role in a defence that was badly leaking goals. It wasn't long before the exit door was swinging too though as James Wilson took exception to being left out at Ballymena and he headed on loan to East Belfast. As November began, valuable points were thrown away as the team drew only one-one at home to Institute, although four points out of six from the double-header at the Riada Stadium had the side in the not-too-depressing sixth place. Justin McBride soon welcomed on board Distillery striker Gareth Corey, who arrived for a two month loan, but a combination of poor weather and ineligibility restricted his appearances somewhat.

Ards FC Through The Ages Picture: Andrew McCullough

The Special Efforts Committee's next off-field venture proved extremely successful as they re-produced John Heron's stunning painting entitled 'Ards FC Through The Ages' which chronicled the best players of the last hundred years in a unique team photograph. In further cup action a win over Groomsport put Ards into a second round tie with Linfield Swifts. As the frost bit hard, Ards went out by a single goal in the most depressing of settings - in the shadow of the national stadium that the club once graced as a senior team.

The poor weather, including the worst snow for 25 years, continued throughout December decimating the month's action and ensuring just ninety minutes of action was played. A notable game it would turn out to be though, as the result of an un-noteworthy Irish Cup tie became disputed in the corridors of power at IFA headquarters. A number of careless errors entered on the official teamsheet as Ards beat Coagh United 3-1 saw the result called into question and a panel not-so-quickly assembled in Belfast. The main focus was on the naming of Gary Spence for the match - a game he was known to be suspended for. Spence took no part in the game, but perhaps the damage had nevertheless been done. When the cup committee delivered its verdict close to a month later, the outcome surprised everyone. The original result would remain on the records but the match would be replayed at the same venue for the right to face The Welders in the next round.

Ross Arthurs Picture: Gareth McCluskey

In the meantime Ards had put in a limp performance to lose 2-0 to Bangor on New Year's Day in front of one of the biggest crowds in Championship football that season. It took until mid-January for the cup game to be replayed and was not without it's own drama. Three goals in the final five minutes of the match saw the game swing one way and then the other before Ards finally emerged as worthy winners in extra-time. The fifth round required a replay to settle the tie too, albeit this time a more conventional one as Ards drew two-all with HW Welders in the first encounter. Sadly, the replay was lost by a goal to nil, as the Welders showed just that little bit more edge to progress in the competition.

Late January saw the Ards squad boosted with the arrival of Chris Kingsberry from Loughgall and Ross Arthurs, on loan from Crusaders. With all cup action now finished, Ards could concentrate fully on the league situation which, due to the nature of the fixture programme, seemed to stagnate for weeks on end. A win 'away' to Ballyclare was followed up with a demoralising defeat at Institute, in which Ards finished with just nine men and had the increasingly impressive Aaron Kerr to thank for keeping the score down. News out of the blue arrived in mid-February that the Ards board had consented to give manager Justin McBride two years to implement a plan of action, from improving the team's training sessions to assembling his own squad for the next season. Out the door, quite quickly went Darren Lockhart, who signaled his retirement from the game having struggled with injuries on and off for a few months.

The side was to lose Aaron McKee too, albeit just for the duration of his six-game suspension - the fallout from his bizarre sending off at Institute. Next to depart the club would be top goal-scorer Darren Fitzgerald, by mutual consent, although it was widely felt that the once-lethal marksman's appetite had all but deserted him. On the same day as Fitzgerald slipped quietly away Ards surrendered a two goal lead, given to them by now main striker Stephen Doyle, to only draw two apiece with Ballinamallard. The following game saw Ards travel to Castlederg for the first time and take a deserved three points from a Dergview side sitting second placed in the table. That turned out not to be a watershed for the season's up and down form as March passed by without another point gained. The next four games ended in defeat, to the Welders, Loughgall and champions in waiting Carrick. Most embarrassing of all was the 3-0 loss to Ballyclare, who were in a terrible rut and would end up the season' wooden-spoonists.

By this stage, the manager had begun to tie down a number of his squad for the following season, including his entire back four, in which the fit again Rab Young was starring. With just five games now remaining, four of them against higher-placed opposition, a number of supporters were beginning to feel anxious, perhaps a little worried about where the next point was coming from. In early April Ards faced Larne and, completely unexpectedly, came away 3-1 winners at an Inver Park venue they hadn't succeeded at in ten years. A score draw with second-placed Limavady followed ahead of the season's second meeting with Bangor. Full-back David Cully, who had been injured for what seemed like an eternity, was finally fit enough to return and he saw out the full ninety minutes of a poor Ards display, where they struggled to even once test the Bangor goalkeeper.

Aaron Kerr Picture: Gareth McCluskey

If things had been going less than smoothly up until now, the circumstances of Ards' next fixture would test even the most hardened optimist. The Easter Tuesday game at home to Dergview had been down for an evening kick-off, or so Ards thought, right up until the morning of the match. The sudden realisation that Dergview were on their way for a 3pm start led to a serious scramble for Justin McBride and Paul McKnight to even field a team. A starting eleven was eventually found, although there wasn't a goalkeeper among them and so David Cully stepped bravely into the breach, to play his part in a very creditable one-all draw. The match wasn't without repercussions though, as Darren Nixon and Jimmy McIlhagga were red-carded, the latter for the second time that season, and both sat out the final game with Glebe Rangers. Fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table, Glebe weren't about to put on an end-of-season show and Ards had to fight hard for their 4-3 win. Two of those goals came from Ross Arthurs, who had finally found his scoring touch, and the three points ensured a finish of seventh, exactly half-way up or down the table, whichever way you want to look at it.

Off the field, the much talked about development of Londonderry Park, where Ards hoped to one day play, seemed to have stalled and it looked like some campaigning would once again be required. While things cooled on the playing side, the work was only just beginning for manager McBride. The summer's opening bombshell was the departure of goalkeeper and Player of the Season Aaron Kerr, off to try his luck with Ballymena in the Premiership. What else the close season holds, only time will tell.

Irish Cup
5th round

League Cup
3rd round

Steel & Sons Cup
2nd round

Intermediate Cup
2nd round